Polenta Almond Cake

Directions

1. Butter a 9-inch round pan that is 2-inches deep and line the bottom with a disk of parchment paper, cut to fit.

2. Beat the butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until soft. Beat in half the sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy. Beat in the yolks, one at a time, letting each one be absorbed before adding the next. Stir in the lemon zest and almond flour.

3. Whip the egg whites and salt in a clean, dry bowl until they hold a very soft peak. Whip in the remaining sugar gradually, continuing to whip the egg whites until they hold soft peaks. Stir one-fourth of the eggs into the batter. Sift one-third of the ground cornmeal over the batter and fold it in, then add another fourth of the egg whites, folding them in. Continue alternating the cornmeal and the egg whites, ending with the egg whites.

4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake at 350° for about 30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.

5. Cool the cake in the pan about 20 minutes, then invert onto a rack to complete cooling. Before serving, dust the cake with confectioners’ sugar. Store leftover tightly covered at room temperature.